After a delay since the beginning of the year, it seems the fate of three members of NIU’s governing board will be decided this week.

Three members of the Board of Regents have continued to serve on the Board even though their six-year terms expired in January.

However, it appears Gov. Jim Edgar will make the appointments sometime this week. “We are looking to make an announcement this week,” said Dan Egler, an Edgar press aide.

Egler said he could not reveal the names of any new appointees or whether the current Regents will be reappointed.

Ken Beasley, NIU assistant for government relations, said, “the chances are good this week” but added he heard this in past weeks as well.

According to Regents Chancellor Roderick Groves, current Regents Jerome Bender, Clara Fitzpatrick and James Wright have all expressed an interest in being reappointed.

The delay has been caused by a backlog of appointments and was not made during the summer due to the state budget impasse, which occupied much of Edgar’s time.

If Edgar chooses to appoint three new Regents, it could place the Board in a state of flux.

Groves’ assistant Cheryl Peck said in August it typically takes a new Regent a year of meetings to become comfortable with the position.

Because of a state law which balances the political orientation of the Regents, all three Regents appointed must be Democrats.

The Regents govern NIU, Illinois State University at Normal and Springfield’s Sangamon State University.